Personality Theories: Eight Major Approaches

1000 Words4 Pages

Monica Perry
PSY 304
Sharisse Fields
October 26, 2016

Personality Theories: Eight Major Approaches In the video, there were eight different personality theories of psychology that was talked about. Personality theories are the characteristics or blend of characteristics that make a person unique. The different theories, all take on the perspective to explain different personalities. The person giving the lecture highlights some important key point and people from each approach. The first approach is the psychodynamic theories. When speaking on this approach the first person to come to mind is, Sigmund Freud. Freud did not practice scientific methods. He developed psychoanalysis theory to focus on early childhood experiences and ideals …show more content…

Behaviorist reject concepts of the unconscious, genetics, motivations, and internal traits. They suggest people are controlled by their environments and that personality is learned. An example of a behaviorist is John Locke. He believed we were born with blank slates and the environment would write and fill in the pages for us. Cognitive Personality Theories suggest that humans are scientist and information processors. In this theory, behavior is the product of the interaction of our thoughts. Albert Bandura suggest the forces of memory and emotions work with environmental influences. He believed that people learn to respond in particular ways by watching other people. Cognitive theorist believes that without thought process, we would have no emotions and no behavior and we could not function. Theorist also believe that by changing our thoughts we can change our mood, decrease our anxiety, or improve our relationships. The theory that stood out the most to me was person-situation personality. Psychologist believe that people have consistent personalities that guide their behavior depending on the situation. Taking on different personalities depending on the situation can be harmful or helpful. It all depends on the person and their mindset. Some people take on different personalities to fit in, because they are scared, or may even have mental issues and cannot help